The family of a missing firefighter have issued a heartfelt plea for help to find him as his little girl celebrates her sixth birthday without her dad.
Watch manager Daniel Lee went missing in the early hours of the morning on Monday (August 22) in Manchester city centre. The 41-year-old was last seen walking past Saint Mary's Parsonage, near Bridge Street, just after 1am.
An urgent search to find him has been underway since his disappearance, with underwater teams and Tactical Aid Unit officers spotted trawling the River Irwell near The Lowry hotel yesterday. Today, Daniel's partner's cousin Hannah spoke to the Manchester Evening News on behalf of his family.
READ MORE: Last known image of missing firefighter Daniel Lee released in urgent appeal to find him
She said it was 'completely out of character' for Daniel to go missing. She added that today is his daughter's birthday, and that he would never want to miss the occasion.
"It's his daughter's sixth birthday today", Hannah said. "There is no way that he would not be home for her birthday, she is his absolute world."
She added: "It's completely out of character. He has never not gone home.
"You can never say never but he's never shown any signs of any mental health issues. Everyone is just so shocked, even his own team in the fire service.
"It's just crazy. His kids need him and we just want him home."
Daniel - who has two children and two step-children - had been on a night out with colleagues from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service on Sunday evening before he went missing. He works at the Agecroft Station in Salford.
"He had just been out with the lads from work, he was just on a night out with the guys", Hannah said. "He had been in Mojos, he has come out of there and that is where the CCTV has got him near Parsonage Gardens."
He was last seen wearing a Fila jacket which has bright blue patches on the front with a white stripe around the middle and black at the bottom. Last night, police released the last known image of him wearing this jacket in a desperate attempt to find him.
Hannah said his phone was last tracked near The Lowry hotel. She said the family want to urge anyone who was driving in the area at the time to check their dash-cams for footage of him.
"We'd just ask people to please check their cameras. If people are walking down the canals, just everyone please keep looking", she said.
"The support has been absolutely amazing, but we just want to bring him home. We want to thank the fire service for their support and just ask people to keep sharing and keep looking."
This morning, GMFRS' official Twitter account shared the missing appeal and wrote: "Our thoughts are with Dan’s family at this worrying time. Please share any information about Dan to help get him home safely."
The GMFRS Armed Forces Network tweeted: "Can you help us, one of our members is missing, and has been for over 24hr. #MISSING Daniel, "Dan" 41, was last seen at 1.10am this morning (Monday 22 August), walking past Saint Mary’s Parsonage, close to Crazy Pedro’s restaurant in Manchester City Centre."
The appeal has also been shared by Salford and Eccles MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey, who said: "Have you seen Daniel 41, a @GMFRS Watch Manager from Salford has gone missing. Last seen at 1am on Monday 22nd August walking past Saint Mary’s Parsonage, close to Crazy Pedro’s restaurant in Manchester City Centre."
Daniel is described as being around six feet and three inches tall. He is of broad build and has short hair which is grey on the sides.
As well as the distinctive Fila jacket, Daniel was last seen wearing white Adidas trainers, light blue jeans and a navy t-shirt.
Anyone who may have seen him, or who has any information about where he is, should call police on 101.
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